Folding clothes pole



y 1953 l. E. WELLS 2,639,818

FOLDING CLOTHES POLE Filed pt- 2, 1947 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l o a Iii! kzz H [Fa E lls 2 6M V6W [avia Z07":

May 26, 1953 1. E. WELLS FLDING CLOTHES POLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 2, 1947 Ira 5'. W lls Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING CLOTHES POLE Ira E. Wells, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 2, 1647, Serial No. 771,647

6 Claims. (Cl. Bil-96) The present invention relates to a folding clothes rod or clothes pole for a closet which can be extended to position for hanging and removing garments, and folded back against the wall of the closet.

An object of the invention is, therefore, the provision of a folding clothes pole which is capable of holding a quantity of clothes and can be folded into a compact position when not in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a folding clothes pole which supports a number of suits or garments in substantially parallel relation with each other when the pole is positioned for hanging and removing garments, and retains the garments in the same relative positions when folded back against the wall.

A further object is the provision of a clothes pole which prevents garments from being unnecessarily wrinkled.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a folding clothes pole which is simple in design resulting in an article economical to manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of such a, folding clothes pole which can be secured to a wall in any position and in a modified form which can be hooked onto a rail often provided on walls in closets.

Still another object is the provision of a simple and strong folding clothes pole which will support a large number of garments.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of my device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

showing garments hung thereon;

Figure 3 illustrates the device swung against the wall and the positions of the garments in such position of the device;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of thedevice, ex

tended out from the wall;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the device folded against the wall;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of one of the hook means for suspending the garments;

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Figur 2;

the links to pivot freely on the rivets.

Figure 8 is an illustration of a modified form of bracket for securing the device to a wall; and

Figure 9 is a plan view of a portion of a modified form of device.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and particularly to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, the device as a whole is indicated by the numeral I2 and includes a supporting bracket l4 adapted to be secured to a supporting wall 16. The bracket I4 is preferably of stamped sheet metal with appropriate reinforcing ribs, although it may be made of other material as Well. The bracket comprises an-upstanding main portion [8 having a plurality of holes for the insertion of screws for securing the bracket to the wall. The upper end of the main portion I8 is provided with a horizontal overturned portion 20 and a larger lower horizontal overturned portion 22.

A pair of bars or arms 24 and 26 are secured to the lower portion 22 of the bracket at pivot points 28 and 30, respectively, by means of'bolts and nuts, the arms then being pivoted for swinging movement in a common horizontal plane. The arms 24 and 26 are pivoted at different distances from the upstanding portion 18 of the bracket, the pivot point 28 being closer to the upstanding portion than the point 30. Preferably, the pivot point 28 is fixed in the lower portion 22 of the bracket, and the bolt forming the pivot point 30 is inserted through a slot 32 formed in the lower portion 22. The slot 32 is preferably a curved slot disposed in a position which is diagonal with respect to the bolt 28 and the upright portion [8 of the bracket, that is, it is directed away'from both the bolt 28 and the upright portion of the bracket.

The arms 24 and 26 may be of any preferred construction and material, such as metal tubing, and each is provided with a plurality of horizontally disposed slots 34 spaced at intervals along the length of the arms. These slots may be openings spread in the seams of the tubing, as seen clearly in Figure 7. The slots 34 in the arms 24 and 26 are arranged in pairs, one of each pair being in one of the arms, and a plurality of cross links 36 are inserted in the respective pairs of slots 34. The links .36 are pivotally secured in the slots 34 by means of rivets 38 inserted through holes 25 in the respective arms and extending through holes 31 in the links 36. The holes in the links are sufficiently large to permit If preferred, bolts instead of the rivets 38 may be employed and threaded into one wall of the tubing forming the arms.

The slots 35 in each pair are relatively arranged so that the links 36 are disposed at a slight angle with respect to the perpendicular relatively to the arms for a purpose which will be explained later.

Secured to each of the links 3% is a hook supporting means in the form of an eye indicated at M! which may be formed of bent wire. The hook means ill includes an enlarged flathorizontal loop Hand a'lowersmaller eyelet i i 'for'accommodating different sizes of hooks usually provided on different types of garment hangers. The ends of the Wire forming the hookmeans or eye 40 are inserted through a central opening in the respective link 36 after whichtheupper ends of the wire are peened over on the upper surface of the link, as indicated at 46 '(Figure' '6) and a quantity of solder 48 is applied to the wire and undersurface of the link for securing the hook means 40 againstrotation inthelinlc. .It is the purpose of the arrangement described above that the hook means til willbe guided by the movement of the link 36. H I

. A reinforcingrod. or brace means 59is secured at one end thereof to the upperturned-overportion 20 of the bracket and at theother-end to a specially constructed link 52 illustrated best in Figure '7. The link 52 is positioned on top of the arms-2t and 2-6,-preferably'over theoutermost link 35, and securedin position by the same rivets '38 which secure theoutermost link... The link-52 is free to pivot on the rivets 38. The central portion of the link 52 is offset upwardly as shown at 5, and'to this offset-portion the outer end of the reinforcing rod 512 is pivotally secured by means ofa rive-t 56. The OflSElJIJOI- tion 54 supports the rod 53 and rivet'fifi upwardly out of interference with the arms 25 and 243 in the folding movements of the latter. The; rod 50 .is-also free to pivot about its point of securement'5l wi-ththe turned-over portion 20 of the bracket.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate coats or other garments 58 on hangers suspended in the hook means til.

Figure 8 illustrates a slightly-modified fofln of bracket for securing the'deviceto a wall. The usual bracket It, as described above,is provided with a down-turned hookportion (it at the top 'of'the back side of the upright portion I 8, which 'may be secured thereto as by means ofspot-Welding. A guard rail-62 is often suppliedand-secured to the supporting wall Hi. Thehooktfl 03.111198 hooked in back of the rail-t2 'and'thu 'eliminate the necessityfor-sc'rews threaded into'the wall. In order to support theibracket M in true vertical position, a spacer E4 is secured 'to'th'e bottom of the back side of the upright portion i8," which bears against thewalland retains the "bracket and the whole device in normal position wit respect to the Wall.

When the 'arms24 and 2 6 are extended outright as illustrated'inFigures 1 and'2,rth"e' hook means 49 are arranged in positions nearly perpendicular to the supporting'wall. In'su'chposi- 'tion of the hook means 40, the clothes hangers supporting the garments '53 are in a position nearly parallel with the supporting wall. The arms 24 and 25 can then be swungc'ountercloc'kwise, from the position of Figure Z'to the position of'Figure 3, against the supporting Wall. In the latter position, the clothes hangers and garments '58 are retained-nearly in their original position which is nearly parallel with the supporting wall, and when the arms are swung tothe'wall, the

garments assume a position which is generally parallel with the wall but varying from such true position due to the thickness of the various garments. One edge of the garment will bear against the wall and the other edge is spaced from the wall a distance equal to the thick ess of the adjacent garment. For all practical purposes, the garments can be referred to as parallel with the Wall'when the armsar'e swung against the wall.

The bolts which provide the pivot points 28 and 3G for the arm 2d and 25, are positioned as .describedabove for accommodating the swinging motion of the arms. The horizontal spacing of the points 23 and 3b in the direction parallel with the wall is determined by the spacing of the armsfi l and 26 which in turn is determined by the linkse'zfi. The difference in distances of the points 28 and 3%; from the upright portion [8, or=from the wall, determined bythe thickness of .the .arms'Zt and i226 sothat the. arms will fit together, .or nest, when swung a ainst the wall, that is,. the arm disposed. outwardly, from he arm 24 with respect to the wall when the arms. are swung thereagainst. This distance also attested by the links 35 which, although they foldgenerallyinto the arms Mend 2s, they may still slightly afiect the .practicalspacing ofthe arms. In addition, the .quantity of clothes or garments-hung on the device afiects the spacing between the armsz l and 526 when they are swung againstthe wall ancL-for the latter reason, the slot 32 is provided. At times, .it may benecessary that the arms 2% and Zlfi be spaced more widely apart. than at-othertiineaand this dis crepancy is also accommodated for by the slot 32. The slots 3 3 in the-arms 5M :andy-ZB, it will be noted, are quite long to accommodate the swinging motion of the links 33.

The links '36, when the arms are'extended outwardly from the wall,--as;.noted above, are disposed at a'slight-a-ngle with respect to the arms. When the arms are swung against the wall, they rotate through approximately degrees. The angular disposition of the links permits such swinging of'the links, so that whenthe arms are swung against the wall the links assume an angle in the oppositedirection with respect to the arms, but in substantially their "original parallel positionwith respect to-the wall.

It will be understood that the pivot points 23 and'30 can be reversed with appropriate change in the length of the-arms 24 and 26, so that the arms can be swung in the opposite direction. Also, slots -32 could be provided 'for both pivot points 28 and 'Bfl so th'at'thearms could be swung in either direction.

Referring now to Figure 9, the device here shown operates in essentially the same manner as the device lillustrated in Figures 1 to 7, although the present construction is somewhat different. In the present instance, a wall lads shown supporting a, bracket 66. 'The bracket 66 comprises a lower horizontal plate 63 and an upper horizontal plate 70 joined together'by a vertical portion-l2 by which the bracket is secured to the wall. An arm leis pivoted at why any convenient means such as a rivet in'the bottom plate 68 or a post secured between'both plates 68andl0. The arm 14 may be supported at its outer end by a supporting rod similar to the rod '58 in the previous embodiment, or it may have bearingsupport through asubstantial vertical extent on a post. Additional views of this embodiment are eliminated s'i'nce it may be 'is the pivot point 16.

constructed similarly to the previous form with respect to retaining it in horizontal position. The arm 14 is free to swing in a horizontal plane and form a position extending perpendicular to the wall as shown in full lines in Figure 9, to a position parallel'with the wall as shown in dotted lines therein. 1

A plurality of hook means similar to the hook means 46 are suspended at points 18 at spaced intervals in the arm 14 and arranged for swiveling movement therein. The hook means are positioned below the arm 14, and have stems extending through and above the arm, .where pinions 80 are secured thereto, one pinion to each hook means.

A rack bar 82 is supported on the arm 12 by means of a plurality of elongated slots 84 adapted to slide over pins 86 secured in'the arm. The rack bar 82 is substantially parallel with the arm 14, and the inner end of the bar '82 is provided with a pin 88 extending into an arcuate slot 90. The slot 90 may be formed in the upper plate in the bracket and is disposed so that a straight line drawnthrough its endsis substantially at a 45 degree angle with respect to the wall. The rack bar 82 is provided with a plurality of groups of teeth 92, forming racks,each group being positioned for engagement with one of the pinions 80. The slots 84 and pins 86, being at spaced intervals, retain the bar 82 in position for constant engagement of the rack means 92 with the pinions 80.

When the arm 14 of Figure 9 is positioned as shown in full lines, coats or other garments may be suspended therefrom by the hook means,

whereby the coats or garments are arranged substantially parallel with the supporting wall. When the arm 14 is swung against the supporting wall I 6, the rack bar 82 is retained by means of the slot 90 from moving thefull extent that it would move if it were not for the slot 90 or, in other words, the full extent it would move if fixedly secured to the arm 14. The slot 90 may be so shaped, proportioned, and positionedas to control the relative movement between the rack bar 82 and the arm 14, in such a manner that the relative movement issuch as to rotate the pinions 80 the desired extent. It will be understood that the pinions 80 and the hook means rotate with respect to the arm 14, but they do not rotate with respect to the wall, and they thereby retain their positions with respect to the wall in such a manner that the arments hung thereon remain substantially parallel with the wall in all positions of the arm 14.

Since the arm 12 swings through a 90 angle, it is evident that the pinions 80 and hook means supported thereby also rotate approximately 90; the pinions 80 have such a circumference with respect to the desired relative movement between the rack bar 82 and the arm 14, that the pinions rotate substantially a quarter turn, or 90.

In the position shown in full lines in Figure 9, it will be noted that the pin 88 on the rack bar 82 is closer (in a projected distance longitudinally of the arm 14) to the pinions on the arm than is the pivot point 16; and when the arm 14 is rotated to the position shown in dotted lines, or parallel with the wall, the pin 88 is farther away (in a projected distance longitudinally of the arm 14) from the pinions 80 than This illustration manitests the relative motion between the rack bar 82 and arm 14, which causes rotation of the pinions and the hook means'with respect to number of garments can be suspended from the device and brought out to the center of the closet for hanging clothes and removing them. After the device is not in use, it can be swung against the wall leaving the main part of the interior of the closet free and unobstructed. It will also be obvious that a number of such devices can be provided in a closet and when swung back out of the way a great number of clothes can be supported while still leaving the main part of the closet unobstructed.

While I have herein shown and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention, manifestly they are susceptible of modification and rearrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and'scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the precise forms herein disclosed, except as I may be so limited by the appended claims,

I claim as my invention:

'1. A clothes pole construction comprising, in combination, a bracket having a front and rear side, the rear side of the bracket having hook means adjacent the top thereof and spacing means adjacent thebottom thereof, the front side of the bracket having upper and lower horizontal extensions adjacent the top and bottom thereof respectively, a pair of arms pivoted in said lower horizontal extension at horizontally spaced points and adapted to swing in a common horizontal plane, a plurality of links at spaced intervals along the length of said arm and having their'ends pivoted in respective arms, hook means onthe links adapted to support garment hangers, and brace means pivoted in said upper horizontal extension and secured to the swinging end of said arms.

2. A clothes pole construction comprising, in combination, a bracket adapted for mounting on a wall and having a front and rear side, the rear side of the bracket having hook means adjacent the top thereof and spacing means adjacent the bottom thereof, the front side of the bracket having upper'and lower horizontal extensions adjacent the top and bottom thereof respectively, a pair of arms, one of said arms being pivoted in said lower horizontal extension at a'fixed point, said lower' horizontal extension having'a slot therein, the other-one of said arms having pivot means for pivotally mounting the same in said slot, said slot being disposed in a direction that said pivot means is slidable therein toward and away from said fixed pivot and toward and from the supporting wall, said arm being swingable in a common horizontal plane, a plurality of links at spaced intervals along the length of said arm and having their ends pivoted in respective arms, hook means on the links adapted to support garment hangers, and brace means pivoted in said upper horizontal extension and secured to the swinging end of said arms.

3. In a device of the character described, a bracket adapted for mounting on a wall, a first arm pivotally mounted on said bracket, a plurality of members pivotally mounted on said arm and angularly disposed to a vertical plane through the axis of the pivot of said first arm, brace means non-parallel to said first arm and pivotally mounted at one end on said bracket and pivotally connected at the other end to said first arm, the axes of the pivotal connections of said. :firstiarmandsaid brace means to said bracket being laterally displaced fromzeach other, a second arm; parallel to said first arm and havingsaidplurality ofmembers pivotally connected at; spaced intervals thereto, said second armbeing operative to causesaid plurality of members to pivot simultaneously as said first arm is; pivoted, whereby said angular disposition of said members tocsaid plane throughthe axis of the pivot of said first arm-is substantiallymaintained, said second arm :beingmivoted onamovablepivot in engagementwith said bracket, and said bracket having a slot therein within which 1 said .movable pivot is positioned for movement therealong as said arms and brace means arepivoted.

.4. 'In a device of the character described, a bracket adapted for mounting on awall, afirst arm ;pivotally mounted on said bracket, -a plurality .of 9 parallel members I pivotally mounted on saidrarm :and angularly disposed to a vertical plane through'theaxis of the pivot of said first arm, ,hrace "means inch-parallel to said first arm and pivotally mounted at one end on said bracket and pivotally connected at "the other end-to said first arm, a second arm parallel to said first arm and having said'plurality of members pivotally connected at'spaced intervals thereto, said second arm being operative to cause said plurality of parallel members to pivot simultaneously as saidfirst arm is pivoted, whereby said-angular disposition of said parallel members with respect to said plane through the axis of the pivot of said first arm is substantially maintained, said second arm being pivoted on a movable pivotin engagement with said bracket, and said bracket having a slot therein within whichsaid movable pivot is positionedwfor movementtherealong as said arms and brace means are pivoted.

5. In a device of the character described, ;a bracket adapted for mounting ona-wall, a first arm pivotally mounted on said bracket, a .plurality of parallel 1 links pivotally mounted .on said first arm and extending transverselyfrom said arm, said links being angularly disposed to a vertical plane through the .axis 'of ;the pivot :of said first arm, and means for substantiallymaintaining said angular disposition ofsaid links to saidplane through the axis ofthe pivot of said first arm assaid first arm is pivoted, saidmeans comprising a brace non-parallel to, said first arm andpivoted at one end to oneof said links and at the other .end to the .bracketat 'apointtvertically and horizontally spaced from the gpivot ofithe first armiontheibracket, a second zarm parallel to the first arm ,and having saidflinks pivotally connected thereto, said second arm being pivoted on a'movable pivotin engagement with said bracket, ,andv'means onsaid bracket cooperating withisaidmovablepivot to provide movement of the pivot of said secondarm relative to-the pivot of:-said first arm as thefirst arm is ;-,pivoted. I

:6.5In a device of the character described, .a bracket adaptedfor mounting'on-a wall, a first arm ,pivotallymounted on said :bracket, a-plurality of parallel links ,pivotally mounted on:said first arm and extending transversely from said arm, said links being angularly disposed to a vertical vplane through the axis of the pivot of said first arm, means-for substantially maintaining saidgangular dispositionof said links to said plane "through the axis of the pivot of said first armas said first arm is pivoted, said means comprising ,a brace .-non parallel to said first arm and-pivoted atcone -end .torone of said links and at the other end=to the bracket at a point vertically andzhorizontally spaced from the pivot 01 the firstarm on theibracket-a second armparallelto the first :armsand having said links pivotally connected thereto,;said second-arm being pivoted ,on a movable pivot in enga ement with said bracket, means onsaid*bracketcooperating with said movable pivot'toprovide movement of the pivotofsaid-second arm relative :to the pivot of said first arm as the firstgarm is pivoted, and hookimeans secured to said links at a region between said arms.

IRAE. WELLS.

References Cited in the .filezof this patent UNITED (STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,032,788 vSlaciriski July 16, 1912 1,153,677 ,Deragon 'Sept.14, 1915 1,303,249 Brown May 13, 1919 1,422,052 Hanson July 4, 1922 1,587,674 Patterson June 8,1926 "2,061,156 Humphrey Nov. 17, 1936 2,133,925 ,Ran'dall, Oct. 18, 1938 2,453,919 Johnson et-al Nov. 16, 1948 2,474,436 'Pestyner June 28, 1949 FOREIGN .PATENI-S Number Country Date 12271658 Great Britain Jan. 22, 1925 

